Colorado gave up a mid-level prospect to get Jose Lopez from Seattle this offseason, avoided arbitration by signing him to a one-year, $3.6 million contract, and released him yesterday after the veteran infielder hit .208 with a .521 OPS in 129 plate appearances.

Lopez was designated for assignment last week and it’s no surprise that he cleared waivers, as no other team was going to claim the $2 million or so left on his deal.

It’s also no surprise that he struggled, as Lopez was horrendous last season while hitting .239 with a .609 OPS in 150 games for the Mariners, although given that the Rockies felt he was worth $3.6 million and a mid-level prospect coming off that awful performance you’d think they might have stuck with him for more than 38 games.

Lopez is still just 27 years old and had back-to-back solid seasons as recently as 2008 and 2009, but he’ll likely have to settle for a minor-league contract and hit his way back to the majors.

it is only worth taking a chance on him if he starts drinking red bull or something…watched him for too many years look like he would rather be taking a nap than an at bat. decent talent, just…sleepy and slow-reacting. I want to be very clear that I am nto saying he wasn’t trying or was lazy (according to Shannon Drayer, who covered him in Seattle, he did all the fielding drills and did all the batting practice and worked hard) — it’s just that he always looked, to me, like he was actually, truly, half-asleep out there, or that he was reacting like he was moving in water.

it is only worth taking a chance on him if he starts drinking red bull or something…watched him for too many years look like he would rather be taking a nap than an at bat. decent talent, just…sleepy and slow-reacting. I want to be very clear that I am not saying he wasn’t trying or was lazy (according to Shannon Drayer, who covered him in Seattle, he did all the fielding drills and did all the batting practice and worked hard) — it’s just that he always looked, to me, like he was actually, truly, half-asleep out there, or that he was reacting like he was moving in water.